willpower

American  

[wil-poh-er] / ˈwɪlˌpoʊ ər /

Or will power

noun

1. control of one's impulses and actions; self-control.

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willpower British  

/ ˈwɪlˌpaʊə /

noun

1. the ability to control oneself and determine one's actions

2. firmness of will

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Etymology

Origin of willpower

First recorded in 1870–75; will ² ( def. ) + power ( def. )

Explanation

Willpower is the ability to control or restrain yourself. If you bake brownies and can keep yourself from tasting them until after dinner, you can thank your willpower. A less descriptive — but simpler — way to say willpower is simply will. Whichever word you prefer, you can use it to describe someone's deliberate or purposeful control. In the case of willpower, the person is likely to be resisting a temptation or impulse. It takes willpower not to argue with someone whose opinions make you angry, and willpower to eat just one potato chip.

Example Sentences

At the same time, they cautioned that bringing the same strategy to places outside the Mediterranean region, including the U.S., would require more than individual willpower.

From Science Daily • May 19, 2026

Karen struggles with phone addiction, noting a psychologist’s advice on habits over willpower.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

It’s much easier to stock a supportive fridge, prep a few flexible building blocks and make healthy food genuinely delicious than it is to rely solely on willpower.

From Salon • Mar. 9, 2026

"We must fight to be truly free, and that can only be achieved through willpower."

From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026

Over the next several days there was a strained, tightly wound quality to the way they treated each other, a rigid correctness that was enforced by repetitive acts of willpower.

From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

Related Words

• firmness
• grit
• self-control
• self-discipline